Yes - The Quest (2021)
Tracklist front / back album covers
The Quest – CD 1
1. "The Ice Bridge" 7:01
a) "Eyes East"
b) "Race Against Time"
c) "Interaction"
2. "Dare to Know" 6:00
3. "Minus the Man" 5:35
4. "Leave Well Alone"
a) "Across the Border" 8:06
b) "Not for Nothing"
c) "Wheels"
5. "The Western Edge" 4:26
6. "Future Memories" 5:08
7. "Music to My Ears" 4:41
8. "A Living Island" 6:52
a) "Brave the Storm"
b) "Wake Up"
c) "We Will Remember"
Total length: 47:49
The Quest – CD 2
9. "Sister Sleeping Soul" 4:51
10. "Mystery Tour" 3:33
11. "Damaged World" 5:20
Total length: 13:44
Yes Band Members / Musicians
Jon Davison – lead vocals (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 8–10), vocal duet (tracks 2, 4, 7, 11), Fender F-310-12 guitar (track 6), Martin D-28 rhythm guitar (track 11)
Steve Howe – guitars [Gibson J-15 acoustic (track 1), Gibson Les Paul Roland (tracks 1, 8), Gibson Les Paul Junior (track 2), Gibson ES-175D (tracks 2, 4, 7, 11), Gibson ES-345 (track 3), Variax Sitar Guitar (track 1), Martin MC-28 acoustic (tracks 2, 5, 8, 10), Martin 12-string acoustic (tracks 2, 7), Martin MC-38 SH acoustic (tracks 4, 7, 11), Martin 0018 'Nashville Tuning' acoustic (track 11), Fender Stratocaster (tracks 2, 4, 7), Fender Telecaster (tracks 3, 10), Telecaster volume and tone pedal rhythm guitar (track 7), Fender Stringmaster steel (tracks 4–6), Portuguese 12 string guitar (track 9), Steinberger GM4T (track 11), Sho Bud Pedal Steel guitars (track 11)], mandolin [Fender Electric mandolin (track 1), Gibson F4 mandolin (track 4)], koto (track 4), autoharp (track 4), vocal duet (tracks 2, 4, 7, 11), vocals (tracks 9, 10)
Geoff Downes – piano (tracks 1, 4, 7, 8), Hammond organ (tracks 1, 2, 8, 10, 11), synthesizers (tracks 1, 3–5, 7, 9, 11), organ (tracks 4, 6), Mellotron (tracks 7, 10), Fender Rhodes piano (track 10)
Billy Sherwood – bass guitar [Spector (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), Spector fretless (tracks 6, 9), Rickenbacker 4001 (track 3)], vocals (tracks 5, 6, 10), Fender Rhodes piano (track 3), keyboards (track 5), acoustic guitar (track 5)
Alan White – drums (tracks 1-5, 7-11)
Jay Schellen – percussion
FAMES Studio Orchestra (tracks 2–4)
Paul K. Joyce – orchestra arrangements
Oleg Kondratenko – conductor
Steve Howe – producer, preparatory engineering, guitar recording
Curtis Schwartz – engineering, mixing, recording sessions photographies
Simon Heyworth – mastering
Geoff Downes – preparatory engineering, keyboards recording
Jon Davison – preparatory engineering, vocals recording
Billy Sherwood – preparatory engineering, basses recording, drums and percussion recording
Alen Hadzi Stefanov – orchestra sound recordist
Teodora Arsovska – orchestra Pro tools operator
Roger Dean – cover art, logo
Doug Gottlieb, Glenn Gottlieb (The Gottlieb Brothers) – package design, Yes portraits
Gigi White – recording sessions photographies
The Quest is the 22nd studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 1 October 2021 by InsideOut Music and Sony Music. It is their first studio album featuring Billy Sherwood since The Ladder (1999), having replaced founding bassist Chris Squire following his death in 2015, and their first without Squire or any other original member. It was produced by guitarist Steve Howe.
After completing touring commitments in July 2019, Yes began to collaborate on new material by exchanging ideas for songs online. The subsequent COVID-19 pandemic caused all touring to be cancelled in March 2020, which presented the opportunity for them to focus on the album during lockdown. When the songs had been arranged, the album was recorded in California and England and orchestral arrangements by Paul K. Joyce were performed by the FAMES Orchestra in North Macedonia. Frontman Jon Davison was the main lyricist, who wrote about various themes including hope, optimism, and environmental issues.
The Quest was released in various formats, including CD, LP, Blu-ray Disc, and on streaming platforms, and reached number 20 on the UK Albums Chart. It received generally positive reviews for Howe's production and as an overall improvement over Yes' previous album Heaven & Earth (2014), although some negative responses cited the album as lacking unique or distinct songs.
